Southern California -- this just in

Three-alarm fire halts Oakland-San Francisco BART service

A three-alarm fire that broke out early Thursday has shut down BART service between Oakland and San Francisco, a closure expected to last through the morning commute, officials said.

The blaze broke out near the corner of West Oakland's Seventh Street and Mandela Parkway about 2:15 a.m., a fire dispatcher told Bay City News Service. Flames spread to neighboring buildings, power poles and elevated BART tracks nearby.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The fire has damaged electrical equipment, the transit agency reported, and crews are working to determine the extent. The West Oakland station has been closed entirely as crews continue to battle the still-burning blaze.

BART officials told Bay City News Service they were trying to set up bus service between the MacArthur station in Oakland and the Embarcadero station in San Francisco, but advised commuters to find an alternative method of travel.